


Sympathy For The Devil

by roelliej



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Canonical Character Death, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Love, M/M, Post-Battle of Hogwarts, Ratings: G
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-22
Updated: 2015-06-22
Packaged: 2018-04-05 16:10:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 530
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4186299
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/roelliej/pseuds/roelliej
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the devastating Battle Of Hogwarts, Harry is confronted with its effects...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sympathy For The Devil

There was a stifling silence. Hogwarts looked dead, but inside it, there was still life.  Great pieces of the walls were missing. Several portraits lay on the floor, severely damaged. The floors were covered with bodies and the stench of the dead was almost unbearable.

Harry Potter stood in the Entrance Hall surrounded by his friends. They were all happy, but sad at the same time. They had suffered great losses. Fred Weasley, Nymphadora Tonks, Remus Lupin, Colin Creevey and at least 50 more wizards and witches had died fighting for their freedom.

“Ron, there’s something I have to do,” said Harry, while hugging his lover.

“I know. Do you want me to come with you?” 

“Yes, please,” said Harry. Turning to the others, he raised his voice and said, ”I’m looking for some volunteers. Snape’s body is still in the Shrieking Shack.” His announcement was met with silence, as his companions were clearly uncomfortable with his request.

Professor McGonagall walked up to Harry, looked him straight in the eye and said, “I’m sorry, Potter, but I can’t.  I know he sacrificed himself to spy on You-Know-Who, but he’s still Dumbledore’s murderer.”

“I don’t blame you, Professor, but you know he did it because Dumbledore asked him. He was on our side all the time. I saw it in his memories,” said Harry.

“I know, Potter! Please find somebody else to go with you,” snapped McGonagall.

“I’ll come with you,” said Hermoine.

“We will, too!” Luna Lovegood and Ginny Weasley walked from the crowd and joined Harry.

“We’ll be back in half an hour,” said Harry to all the others, who were staring at him with both respect and surprise.

His friends walked towards the door, but Harry suddenly found he could not move.

His feet seem frozen in place as he looked at the lifeless body of Bellatrix Lestrange.

“You go ahead,” Harry told his friends while looking at the dead Death Eater’s pale face. “I’ll catch up with you.”

“You’re sure?” asked Ron, concerned.

“Yes. Don’t worry, love,” said Harry, and he kissed Ron on the lips.

He turned back to Bellatrix Lestrange’s lifeless form, not quite knowing what to think or say.

“You feel sorry for her, don’t you?” asked Molly Weasley, as she stood next to him and gave Harry a hug.

“Yes, but I don’t know why! She killed so many people I loved. It’s unnatural to feel sorry for a monster like her,” said Harry furiously.

“I feel sorry for her, too, Harry,” Molly said with a sad look on her face.

“But you…”

“…killed her. Yes, and I have to live with that for the rest of my life. I’ve never used an Unforgivable Curse before, but there was no other way. She had to be stopped. Nobody is born as a monster, Harry. You-Know-Who made her a monster. He’s the one to blame. He blinded her with promises of great power, and her love for him destroyed her soul and heart. She’s a murderer, but maybe she’ll find peace somewhere."

“Maybe, in time, I can forgive her,” said Harry.

"Maybe," said Molly, and after another hug, she went back to her family.


End file.
